Jordan 11 Concord Real vs Fake: How to Spot Fake Concords

To tell a Jordan 11 Concord real vs fake, first find out which retro you have, because the 2018 pair carries a 45 on the heel and earlier retros carry a 23. Then check it in the order an authenticator does: the overall look and the patent leather cut, the size tag and box label, the Jumpman, the inner tongue label, the toe box, the outsole and the heel number. Every check compares your pair with a genuine Concord from the same release.

The Concord is recognizable for its white mesh upper, black patent leather mudguard and translucent sole. The photos in this guide compare a genuine 2018 Concord, the retro with 45 on the heel, with a fake of the same pair.

Table of Contents

• Which Concord Do You Have?
• Initial Checks and the Overall Look
• The Size Tag
• The Box Label
• The Jumpman on the Side Panel
• Sneaker Shape Nuances
• Interior Tongue Label Insights
• Toe Box Shape and Structure
• The Icy Outsole and Carbon Plate
• The 45 on the Heel
• Tips for Buying an Authentic Jordan 11 Concord
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Where Can I Get My Jordan 11 Concords Authenticated?

Which Concord Do You Have? 2011, 2018 and the Low

The Concord has been retroed several times under one name. Each release has its own style code, size tag and box, so a detail that is right on one release can look wrong next to another. Read the style code on the size tag and on the box label first, then compare your pair only with a genuine pair that carries the same code.

The Air Jordan 11 Low Concord is a different shoe with a lower cut and its own patent leather shape. The same checks work on it, but compare it only with a genuine Low.

Initial Checks and the Overall Look

Start with the proof of purchase if the seller has one. A receipt from a known retailer helps, but it can be lost on pre-owned pairs, and it can be faked or sold together with a fake pair. Check that its details match the shoes, and use the steps below either way.

Then look at the whole shoe from the side, in daylight. Ignore how glossy the patent leather looks or how blue the sole looks in the photo, because both change with the light and the camera.

Look at the shape of the patent leather instead. On the genuine 2018 pair below, the patent mudguard rises in a clear curve toward the Jumpman, and its top edge is stitched in a clean, even line. On the fake, the curve is flatter and the line along the top edge is less even. The patent cut differs between retros, so compare a 2011 pair only with a genuine 2011 pair.

The Size Tag

The size tag sewn inside the tongue or collar is the busiest label on a pair of Jordans. It shows the size in several systems, the country of manufacture, the style code, a UPC barcode, a short factory code and two dates. Nike has never said what the two dates mean. They are often read as the production window, but that is not confirmed, so treat them only as a rough check that they suit the release. Tags printed from around 2019 often add a QR code, and many genuine older tags have a barcode only. Counterfeiters copy genuine tags field by field, so a tag that agrees with itself shows the label is consistent, not that the shoes are real.

Size Tag Examination on a Concord

Check that the style code on the tag matches your release: 378037-100 for a 2018 pair or 378037-107 for a 2011 pair. Then look at the printing. Smudged, misspelled or unevenly spaced text is a strong reason to look closer.

The 2018 Concord is reported to come from two factories, with the codes SZ and LNM on genuine tags, and the tag's length and some details differ between them. So a tag that differs from one genuine reference is not a fake for that reason alone. Compare print weight and spacing only with a genuine tag from the same release and factory.

Code checks that can expose a fake Concord 11

No code can prove a pair is real, but these checks can expose a fake label:

• The barcode belongs to 378037-100. The 14-digit number after "UPC" on the tag is Nike's barcode for one style code in one size. A fake label can carry a real Nike barcode that belongs to another colorway or size, and it still scans. An authenticator checks that the barcode is Nike's number for 378037-100 in the size printed beside it.
• The tag and the box agree. The box label prints the same barcode with one leading zero instead of two, plus a small two-digit add-on. Ignore the zeros and the add-on, and the digits should match the tag. A mismatch is a question for the seller, not proof, because genuine pairs end up in other boxes.
• The QR code uses Nike's alphabet. The 13 characters printed beside the QR use the digits 0 to 9 and every letter except I, L, O and U. Nike's own QR server rejects any code that contains one of those four letters, and a fake tag can print them. A well-formed code proves nothing, because qr.nike.com sends every well-formed code, even an invented one, to the same Nike page and shows no result.
• The dates fit the release. On the genuine Jordan tags we have read, both dates fell before the release, the later one by two to five months. A first date after the December 2018 release is a reason to ask whether the pair is a restock, not proof of a fake. Some fakes copy genuine dates exactly, so plausible dates prove nothing either.
• The patent line is spelled right. Recent Nike tags end with "This product is covered by one or more patents: www.nike.com/patentsvirtualmarking". A misspelled line or a different address is one of the things an authenticator compares. Older tags may not carry the line at all.

You can type the style code, the barcode and the QR code into our free Nike and Jordan code checker to run the format and match checks, and our guide to what a Nike QR code and UPC can show explains each code in full.

The Box Label

The label on the end of a Jordan box repeats the shoe's details: the model name, the style code, the size, the colorway and a UPC barcode, and recent labels add a QR code. On a genuine pair in its own box, the UPC on the label matches the one on the size tag, while the box QR carries a different code from the tag QR. A second barcode sticker from a resale platform is normal, and so is a regional label on pairs sold in Asia. Box labels are the easiest part to reprint, so compare fonts and spacing only against a genuine box from the same release. A missing or replacement box is not a sign of a fake.

On a Concord, the style code on the box should read the same as the size tag, 378037-100 for the 2018 retro. Compare the box design only with a genuine box from the same release, never by its colors.

The Jumpman on the Side Panel

The Jumpman embroidered in black thread on the side of the shoe, just above the patent leather, is one of the most useful checks on any Jordan 11, because it is about shape and detail, not color.

On the genuine pair below, the Jumpman has finer detail: the hand around the ball and the fingers of the outstretched hand are clearly shaped, and the outline of the body is clean. On the fake, those details are softer and the shape of the body and limbs differs. Also check the position: on the genuine pair the Jumpman sits at a set distance above the patent leather, so a logo that sits much closer to the patent or at a different angle is a reason to look closer.

Do not judge the pair by neatness alone. Genuine 2018 pairs vary in build quality between the two factories, so a stray thread is not proof of a fake. Compare the shape and the details. The same Jumpman checks work on other Jordan 11s, see how to tell if Jordan 11s are fake. For Jumpman and Wings checks on every Jordan model, see our guide to the real vs fake Jordan logo.

Sneaker Shape Nuances

The shape from the back can also reveal a fake. Look at the curve formed by the patent leather at the heel.

On genuine 2018 pairs the curve is more pronounced, with a clear dip in the middle and curved sides. On fakes the middle curve is often flatter, which changes the look of the heel. The 2011 retro has a lower patent cut than the 2018 pair, so judge this only against a genuine pair of the same release. From behind, many fake Jordan 11s look bulkier, with a wider U-shape at the heel than a genuine pair.

Interior Tongue Label Insights

Lift the tongue and look at the label on its inner side. On the genuine pairs we compare, the text is thin and easy to read. Fakes often print heavier text that looks unbalanced, and the stitching around the label can be small and irregular.

Print weight varies between factories, so treat thicker text as a reason to compare with a genuine Concord from the same release, not as a verdict.

Toe Box Shape and Structure

Move to the toe box. On the genuine pair below, the toe box is rounded and curves up clearly at the front. On the fake it sits lower, with a flatter curve. A flatter toe box is common on fakes.

Check the toe from the side and from the front at the same angle as a genuine reference, because a camera angle can change how high a toe looks.

The Icy Outsole and Carbon Plate

Do not judge a Concord by how blue its translucent sole looks. The tint changes with the light and the camera, genuine retros differ from each other (the 2018 outsole is icier than the 2011 one), and icy soles also yellow with age. A genuine older pair can look very different from a new one.

Look at the carbon fiber plate under the arch instead. On fakes the carbon fiber grid is often squarer, while the genuine grid is rounder. Compare the grid and the outsole lettering with a genuine pair of the same release.

The outsole and midsole checks for other colorways are in our Jordan 11 Bred real vs fake and Jordan 11 Cool Grey guides.

The 45 on the Heel

The 2018 Concord has the number 45 on the black heel tab. Earlier retros, including the 2011 pair, have a 23 there, so a 23 on a 2011 pair is correct.

On a 2018 pair, check how the 45 is printed. On the genuine pair below, the double lines of the 45 are thin and precise. On the fake they are thicker and their edges look messier. Fakes copy the 45 itself, so its presence proves nothing. Only its line weight and precision, compared with a genuine 2018 pair, tell you something.

Also Read: How to Spot Real vs Fake Jordan 11 Gratitude

Tips for Buying an Authentic Jordan 11 Concord

Buy from retailers and resale platforms with a return policy, and ask private sellers for clear photos of the size tag, the box label, the heel and the outsole before you pay.

Know the price. The 2018 Concord retailed at $220 for adult sizes and $170 for grade school. A pair offered far below its current resale price is a warning sign.

Frequently Asked Questions

My Concords say 23, not 45. Are they fake?

Not for that reason. Only the 2018 retro has 45 on the heel. The 2011 and 2000 retros have 23. Check the style code on the size tag: 378037-107 is the 2011 pair.

How do the 2011 and 2018 Concords differ?

The 2018 pair (378037-100) has 45 on the heel, a taller patent leather cut like the original and an icier outsole. The 2011 pair (378037-107) has 23 on the heel and a lower patent cut. Compare each with a genuine pair of the same year.

Is a blue tint on the icy sole normal?

Yes. How blue or yellow an icy sole looks depends on the release, its age and the light, so the tint is not a check. Look at the carbon plate and the outsole details instead.

Does this guide work for the Concord Low?

The method does, but the shoe is different. The Low has its own shape and patent cut, so compare it only with a genuine Jordan 11 Low Concord.

Does the box label prove my pair is real?

No. A label that matches the size tag shows the box and the tag agree, not that the shoes are genuine, because fakes print real codes (see The Box Label).

Where Can I Get My Jordan 11 Concords Authenticated?

When checking a Concord, the most common flaws on fakes are:

• A flat patent leather curve at the side and the heel.
• A Jumpman with soft details or in the wrong position.
• Heavy, unbalanced text on the inner tongue label.
• A low, flat toe box.
• A squared carbon fiber grid under the arch.
• A thick, messy 45 on a 2018 pair.

If you are still unsure after these checks, send clear photos of both shoes from the side, the Jumpman, the toe box, the heel, the outsole, the size tag inside each shoe and the box label. LegitGrails authenticates Jordan from photos you upload, with results in under 30 minutes and a digital certificate with every order.

If your Jordan 11 Concords fail any of these steps, send photos to our Jordan authentication service.